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Re: load bearing wallFrom: info@builderswebsource.com
Category: Structural
Remote Name: 63.198.181.43
Date: 28 Jul 2002
Time: 02:20 PM
CommentsYou want to extend your 14x14 kitchen into a sunroom to make it 14x21. You want to now what the shallowest load-bearing beam is that carry the load of the existing wall partition. First, in order to calculate a suitable beam, additional information is required. For example, what kind of roof do you have? Composite? Shake? Tile? Slate? Metal? Next, is your home subject to seismic risk, snow loads, hurricanes or heavy winds? These natural forces increase the loads on your roof, which must be considered in the caclculation. Next, what else is the wall supporting. Ceiling joist? part of a second floor? etc. If a second floor is involved, the calculations become more complex. Finally, what is the tributary area and ptich of the roof? For example, in a simple gable roof, the tributary area is usually half the distance between the ridge beam and the outer edge of the roof times the span of the beam (such as 14 feet in your case). Trusses with no intermediate supports have a different tributary load. As you see, many factors are required before any structural engineer can compute a suitable beam. Finally, knowing the width of your existing walls (such as 2x4, 2x6, etc) can help to pinpoint the best beam for your situation. Please email us with more information and we'll give you some approximate results for illustrative purposes. Final calculations should be done based on actual onsite inspection by a structural engineer licensed in your state. Builders Websource.
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